Protecting cap



E. E. COOPER PROTECTING CAP March 7, 1933.

Filed Dec. 29, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l @L 1 VENToR.

A TTORNEYS.

March 7, 1933. E. E, COOPER PROTECTING CAP Filed Dec. 29, 1930 2 sheets-sheet Fig J4 Y A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EARL E. COOPER, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 CHAMBERS, BERING, QUINLAN COMPANY, OF DECATU'R, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION PROTECTING CAP Application led December 29, 1930. Serial No. 505,352.

My invention relates to fastenings and protecting caps for protecting closure members for containers and screw fittings and the like; an object being in my device to provide substantial protection against unwarranted access to such containers and fittings.

An obj ect of my invention is to provide 1mprovements in fastenings and covering de- Vices such as are adapted to protect container bungs and plugs, faucets and container lids and openings from thieves and others not rightfully entitledto access thereto.

A further object of my invention is to pro` vide a protecting cap for plugs and nuts and otherclosures and fastenings against unwarranted access thereto generally, Whether 1t be in a container or not and more especially to provide a suitable covering for plugs or nuts that will not turn with the same or that will turn freely and independently of the plug or nut; an outstanding example of an adaptation of my invention being in its use as a substantial protection for an oil barrel or other fluid container bung plug or a permanent hub cap or shaft terminal.

A particular object of my invention 1s to provide in connection with protecting caps and closures and fittings a resilient metallic insert member provided with integral barbs for engaging or holding into engagement, a protecting cap for such closures and fittings.

I attain the objects of my invention in the device illustrated in the drawings in which like reference numerals indicate like parts in the several figures.

My device is described in detail in connection with one of its adaptationsin this specification and recited in the claim, which define its structure broadly for more extensive adaptation.

Referring to the figures:

yFigure 1 is aside view of a metallic strip from which the engaging member of my ilivention is made.

Figure 2 is an end view of the device disclosed in Figure 1. f

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 and showing the integral engaging barbs punched therein.

Figure 4 is an end view taken from 4 to 4 on Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective of the spring band member shown in Figure 3 as it would be ready to insert in a cap casing therefor.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of one of my protecting caps showing in a cut-a-way the interior structure of the assembled device.

Figure 7 is a perspective of one of my protecting caps, such as is shown in Figure 6 and disclosed in vertical half-section.

Figure 8 is a side view of one of my protection caps shown as used upon a container bung plug and disclosing in a partial vertical section the details of construction and its operative adaptation to the protection of a container bung plug as it engages the plug.

Figure 9 is a detail disclosing the manner in which the device of my invention engages the periphery of a container cap or plug by snapping down over the periphery thereof.

Figure l() is a side view of a bung plug adapted to be used in connection With one of the adaptations of my invention and showing in a partial section the details of its construction.

Figure 11 is a perspective of one of the metallic bands of my invention showing the integral barbs thereof, turned to project Out- Wardly in constructions shown as adaptations thereof in Figure 14 and Figure 15.

Figure 12 is a perspective of one of my bands showing the metallic resilient barbs of the band turned alternately in and out from the band body.

Figure 13 is a vertical half section of a closure fitting and protecting cap disclosing an adaptation of the spring band and barb arrangement shown in Figure 12 vwhere the barb members alternately are disposedy in and out.

Figure 14 is a vertical section of a container collar and closure cap therefor showing the band and barb structure adapted to use that is shown in Figure 11.

Figure 15 is a vertical section of a container bung fitting showing an adaptation of the barbed band as shown in Figure 11.

Figure 16 is a cross section of a fitting between two plates where they may be secured edge to edge using the adaptation of the barb arrangement shown in Figure 12; but where the metallic strip having the barbs is kept straight.

Figure 17 is a portion of a vertical section of a container bung fitting showing an adaptation of the band and barb arrangement shown in Figure 1l; but with the band inverted so the barb will point downwardly.

Referring now to the novel features of my invention and the constructions preferred in certain adaptations of its use, I provide as one of the essential features of my invention a metallic strip having a series of integral barb members punched from the body thereof so that the barbs in certain adaptations will preferably be disposed at an angle with the strip body along one side of the body with the free ends of the barbs adjacent the same edge of the strip; whileV in other adaptations it may be desired to have the barbs project alternately from opposite sides of the body of the strip.

In all cases it will be important to have the material from which the metallic strip is made possess flexible characteristics so that when the protecting members to which the barb strip is operatively attached are pressed into place, the barbs may possess suitable springiness to permit them to spring back into line with the strip body while the device to which it is attached is being pressed into place; after which the barbs may resiliently swing back to their slanting position.

I have shown in the vdrawings several adaptations of my barbed metallic strip and have disclosed such adaptations in a manner showing that they fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

There are situations in which one of the adaptations may be more desirable than the others and it is with this fact in mind that I choose to point out and describe in detail the structure included in the adaptation in which a protecting cap is provided with this barbed metallic insert as an essential part of its structure to be used as an effective cover for a container bushing plug provided with a flange adapted to receive the cap.

I shall now point out the details of construction and operation of the protecting cap for container plugs fastenings and the like wherein the metallic strip is formed into a band with the resilient integral barbs thereof on the inside of the band and with bosses formed in the body of the strip to provide centering means for holding the cap in place when in normal use where the band is enr compassed and engaged by the cap member.

Referring in detail to the preferred construction of my protecting caps, I provide.

preferably a metallic strip l cut into predetermined lengths and punched by a die so as to form integral barbs 2 all slanting in the same direction when the metallic strip 1,

is straightened out and all slanting inwardly vihen the metallic strip is formed into a circ e.

When assembled for practical use my barbed metallic strip 1 is inserted within a cap member 3 so as to snugly fit up against the inner surface of the peripheral cylindrical fiange 4 thereof and make contact with the shoulder 5 thereof so that the lower edge 6 of cap member 3 may be rolled or pressed about the lower edge 7 of strip member 1.

When thus assembled barbed members 2 are disposed preferably a short ways below the level of shoulder 5 of cap member 3.

It will thus be seen that in order to apply my invention to its practical adaptations it will be desirable to have barbed members 2 of suitable length and suitable resiliency to meet the requirements of its specific adaptations.

For instance, in cases Where my protecting cap may be put on by hand without the requirement of mechanical pressure the barbed members 2 should belong enough and springy enough not to offer to much resistance when the cap is put on the plug or nut or closure member which it is adapted to protect.

When applying my protecting cap to a container plug 8 for instance, the inner diameter of the protecting cap 3 will be slightly more than the outer diameter of the plug or closure member 8 which it protects, and yet the barbed members 2 in their inwardly slanted position will slide against the outer periphery of the plug head 8 while the protecting cap is being pressed over this head. But when the protecting cap has been pressed on far enough to permit the recessed under cut shoulder 9 of plug 8 to come above the free end of barbed members 2 then these barbed members will springily move back to their normally slanted position and serve as a very substantial holding means to keep the protecting cap from coming 0H.

In the meantime, the barbed members 2 do not need to tightly engage shoulder 9 of plug A8 after they spring out in their normally slanted position, thus to permit the protecting ycap to freely turn about head 8 of the.

plug without turning the plug.

It will thus be seen that the protecting cap may be freely turned after it is put on without any chance of unwarranted access to plug 8 with any tools for turning the plug until such time as it may be desired to permanently remove the protecting cap of my invention; in which case the protecting cap may be pried off and preferably not used again.

The adaptation of my device illustrated in Figure 8 discloses the protecting cap Bresting'upon and snapped about the head 8 of al container plug 10 where this plug is shown with its threads 11 engaging the threads of bung bushing 12 secured to the container wall 13.

Fit

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It will be seen that as an effective part of my metallic strip 1 I provide a series of spaced integral boss members 14 adapted to provide centering means and stabilizing means for the protecting cap when it is fitted into operative position. rIhese bosses are pressed into the body so that they will project out on the inside of the band and when the projecting cap is being pressed into place will tend to guide the movement of the cap uniformly over the head of the bung.

In Figure 11 the barb members 2 all turn outward by merely reversing the curving of the band 1; but where this is done the boss members 14 would be pressed out toward the side opposite the barbs.

The barbs 2 in Figure 12 are punched out so that alternate barbs point inward or outward and may be used in places such as shown in Figure 13 where a bung plug 8 seats on a flanged bushing 15 permitting the barbs 2,;to be pressed down through an annular slot between plug 8 and bushing flange 16.

In some cases the plug may have an integral flange such as shown at 17 in Figure 15 so that barbs 2 of band 1 may engage this fiangc as cap 3 holds the band in place with plug 8 resting preferably on a gasket 18 on bushing 12 engaging container wall 13.

The barbed band used in this situation may also be used on a -flanged collar 19 of a container see Figure 14) where the barbs engage flange 2() to hold the cap in place.y This cap arrangement could be used on a rectangular .1; or square opening as well as round.

It may be desired to use the barbed strip straight for holding flat or other shaped plates together as shown in Figure 16 where barbs 2 of strip 1 secured to plate 21 are adapted to springily engage hook members 22 of plate 23 as the barbs are pressed into recess 24.

In Figure 17 the flanged ring 25 is encompassed by the band 1 and engages the band while plug 8 fitted into bushing 12 in container wall 13 holds the ring 25 down, so that cap member 3 may be pressed down over the ring 25 far enough to engage the free ends of barbs 2 against the top edge of flange 26 of cap 3.

As a practical and economical feature of my invention it will be observed that by using a separate insert member with its integral barbs in connection with cap 3 and other protecting covers then the arrangement permits the best grade of springy material to be used in the band for the normal resilient action of the barbs; While the cap member alone may be made of tin or other suitable cover material.

I am aware of the fact that there have been in use certain caps that were provided with integral spurs and were adapted to be snapped into an engagement with the closure member which they protect. But my device in its novel structure incorporates the insert features with the cap which facilitates the manufacture thereof and reduces the cost of production and provides a more substantial protecting cap than has been provided before in the analogous art.

Having thus described the nature of my invention what I claim is:

In combination with a container closure plug rotatably engageable with a container Wall, a protecting cap completely covering the exposed portions of the plug and freely rotatable thereon, an integral skirt on said cap having a lower terminal retaining ledge, a band of resilient material fixedly flanked and secured within said skirt portion of said protecting capv and provided with integral flexible barb members sprung at an angle with the band and inclined upwardly, an exterior circular shoulder of the plug provided with an annular recess on the lower side thereof; said shoulder engaged by said barb members in a manner exerting a longitudinal thrust up againstsaid shoulder in resisting removal of the cap from the plug while freely rotatable thereon.

In witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand this 23rd day of October 1930.

` EARL E. COOPER. 

